Three journalists from the Independent and a further three writing for the New Statesman have been long-listed for the Orwell prize for journalism.

The 12 long-list nominees for the Orwell journalism prize were unveiled today, along with 18 names on the long-list for the book prize and a further 12 in the first ever blog prize.

Shortlists will be announced on 25 March, with winners accepting awards at a ceremony held at the Foreign Press Association, in London, on 22 April.

Nominees for the journalism prize include the Independent's Donald Macintyre, Paul Vallely, who was nominated for work in both the Independent and the Independent on Sunday, and Patrick Cockburn, for articles in the Independent and the London Review of Books.

Contributors to the New Statesman nominated for the award include Channel 4 News correspondent Lindsey Hilsum, former political editor Martin Bright, who left the magazine last month and whose work for Channel 4's Dispatches was also noted, and Michela Wrong, who writes for the Financial Times and online magazine Slate.

Henry Porter and Catherine Bennett of the Observer, which like MediaGuardian.co.uk is published by Guardian News & Media, were also long-listed for the journalism prize along with Guardian writer, Jonathan Steele.

Andrew Sparrow was long-listed in the blogging category for his work on the Guardian.co.uk politics blog.